1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electro-chemical combustion engines, and in particular, to an engine utilizing the recombination of hydrogen and oxygen gases to provide a double power stroke for a piston/cylinder assembly, as a means of using electric power as the prime energizer of an internal combustion piston engine.
2. Prior Art
Many apparatus are known wherein an electrolytic cell is used to generate hydrogen gas, for example, which then forms all or part of the fuel mixture used in an otherwise typical internal combustion engine. In each of these instances, the oxygen gas is not used in the fuel mixture, and it is generally conceded that the use of hydrogen and oxygen gases as a fuel is too dangerous. In modern times, the use of hydrogen and oxygen gases as a fuel seems limited to the field of welding. Two examples of this use are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,777-Brown and U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,600-Henes. In two engine applications, for example, the hydrogen and oxygen mixture is mixed with air from the atmosphere, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,053-Horvath and in another is mixed with the fuel, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,545-Mosher, et al. In each of these instances, the use of hydrogen and oxygen gas alone is not even suggested, and in many instances, is said to be dangerous or impractical. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,365,330-Carmicahel and 3,311,097-Mittelsteadt disclose the use of hydrogen and oxygen as a fuel, however, the mixture is said to be used with a typical internal combustion engine. Typical internal combustion engines can not operate on the explosion-implosion principle utilized in this invention. U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,623-Fragale discloses a two cycle internal combustion engine which operates on hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture, but the piston is provided with a number of grooves, in order that water formed during the combustion process can run out of the cylinder. Such a configuration would preclude the use of a vacuum to provide the second half of the double power stroke, U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,627-Holland purports to teach the use of hydrogen and oxygen gas, alone, to operate an internal combustion engine. The engine, however, requires two actuated valve assemblies, and makes no mention of the formation of a vacuum or a double power stroke. In fact, it is likely that the Holland apparatus would be rendered inoperable as any vacuum formed would cause both valves to open, more than likely preventing the piston from being pulled back by the vacuum, obviating the double power stroke of this invention.
In summary, there is no known device comparable to the electro-combustion engine taught herein, wherein hydrogen and oxygen gases, alone, and in a stochiometric combustible proportion, are used as the sole energizer for powering a piston in a piston/cylinder assembly, wherein no valves are needed between the source of the hydrogen and oxygen gases and the cylinder, and wherein the piston/cylinder assembly is sufficiently sealed that upon ignition of the gas mixture, the piston is first driven outwardly, and after recombination of the gases into trace amounts of water, the piston is pulled back into the cylinder by the remaining vacuum suction.